A measured approach at Portsmouth University

Ranked as one of the world’s top 100 new universities in the Times Higher Education Rankings 2017, Portsmouth University (www.port.ac.uk) has invested more than £150 million during the last 10 years in buildings and other resources — including two Hurco CNC machine tools, a suite of Stratsys software and HK3D 3-D printing technology — plus metrology equipment from Mitutoyo — for its School of Engineering.

Lead technician William Keeble said: “We’ve been using Mitutoyo equipment for decades, and it has always been consistently precise, reliable and robust, which is a prerequisite when equipment is frequently operated by inexperienced undergraduates.

“Furthermore, the Mitutoyo brand comes with excellent training and technical support, while the software is user-friendly and gives detailed reporting — another critical factor for staff and researchers alike.”

To cater for the diverse demands of a wide range of projects, Portsmouth University recently specified a Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex S776 co-ordinate measuring machine, a Roundtest RA-1600, a Formtracer SV-C3200 and a QuickVision Apex non-contact measuring system.

Mr Keeble added: “We couldn’t ask for anything more from the new equipment. The ease of use is vastly improved, as is the reporting, tracking and storing of data. The new kit is faster, more efficient and intuitive than ever before, and this user-friendliness is a key factor for an education establishment like ours.”